A Scarecrow's Lament
by Brackroho
Summary: It's Naruto's fault. Kakashi doesn't know why, but it can only be Naruto's fault. After he fought and died for his village the Copy Ninja is reborn into a world without chakra. A new chance at life and new battles await him as daughter of House Dayne. [Genderbend]
1. Chapter 1: So Youthful!

Chapter 1: So Youthful!

Kakashi blames Naruto. He doesn't know how, or when, or why but it can only be Naruto's fault. He can't really remember what exactly happened to him. He is sure that he died though. The events leading up to his, by shinobi standards probably very timely death are not as clear.

What he does remember is fighting. He was always good at having anything to do with fighting. He could almost hear his inner Obito complaining, "Shitty genius being good at everything." That was an excellent reproach from his dead friend. He is good at everything, but fighting was special. It was part of him. Not anyone can become genin at six.

Anyway back to point. Kakashi remembers a new Otsutsuki showing up a few years after Momoshiki and Kinshiki. With really bad timing too. Naruto was at the five Kage meeting in Iwa and had left him in charge of the village while Sasuke was who knows where.

Long story short the guy whose name he never learned started wracking the place so Kakashi fought in this weird pocket dimension of his where everything tried to eat him. Of course he won. Fun fact: If you rip the heart out of a wannabe God they will die.

Another fun fact: Having a pocket dimension collapse around you is not good for your health. And so he is sure that he died. Not sure how but that he did is without doubt.

This however brings forth another question. What is he doing walking around an old stone castle in a world without any form of chakra? The Copy Ninja didn't have an answer. He was somehow reborn apparently, but how it is possible for this world to even exist he doesn't know. Chakra is life after all.

He wasn't aware of himself immediately after his rebirth. His childish brain probably couldn't handle it. He awoke slowly. Or it would be better to say came back into himself since he remembers his early years and can't find himself having changed overly much since he became aware that somewhere a dimension away he had a mountain with his face carved into it.

He was always an eerie, quiet child. But that wasn't the problem since his father here is apparently known as "the quiet wolf" it could be overlooked and often was. He was also too aware, too intelligent, too skilled, too much of anything. In other words with or without his memories Kakashi was still Kakashi and apparently a genius.

It wasn't so bad. Because he was so quiet some thought him a little dumb at first but since he grew older it became apparent that he was extraordinarily gifted. No one was pushing him to go out and kill for them soon though which was nice. It doesn't hurt to try something different once in a while.

His memories have been slowly coming back to him for almost a year now. Each day remembering a little more until he could recall it all. Even tons of stuff he didn't want to.

Now with the gloriously mature body of a four year old child the Copy-nin was wholly back to business. He would be at least if his body wasn't too young for anything of significance other than doing flexibility stretches and finger dexterity exercises for children. Or if he still had chakra to use but there is not a drop of it to be found anywhere.

What makes it totally impossible for the sixth Hokage to be back for duty is simply that he isn't Kakashi anymore. His new name is Asta. Supposedly it means silver in the old tongue here, or starlight. He is obviously named after his hair color now even more silvery than ever. The name is a little girly but if he is truthful a big step up from scarecrow.

In the end he simply isn't the men known as Kakashi anymore. Nor is he only the child growing up as Asta. Rather he is a sum of them both. Oh and he was a she now, but shinobi are nothing but adaptable. She isn't looking forward to puberty though. That's a whole other can of worm she isn't touching with a ten foot pole till she has to. Denial always was her most trusted comrade.

She idly wonders what her old rival would say to her situation and can nearly hear his voice shouting, "SO YOUTHFUL!" With entirely too much green in the voice. How can there be color in a voice? It should be impossible. No that's her friend denial again. She is sure Guy could do it.

At the thought she has to stop her steps to shudder furiously, a cold shiver running down her spine. This causes the older girl dragging her along by the hand she was holding to pause as well and look at her concerned.

"Asta? Is something wrong?"

Seeing the undue concern on the eight year old features she is quick to reassure. " . Don't worry Allyria. I was just thinking about the power of youth." This causes a giggle from the other girl. Asta doesn't know why though. It's a serious topic with hidden depths of depravity.

"You are so weird sometimes," says the girl not taking the dangers of youth serious, with amusement clear in her voice. "Come on we will be late to break our fast."

The excited girl is the reincarnator's aunt on her Mother's side, the second born daughter to the noble house of Dayne. She has typical Dayne coloring with deep blue eyes and beautiful, long, black hair. The same type of hair her older sister, Asta's mother had. She can see already that the eight year old will one day be a great beauty.

Her own bright violet right eye and shoulder length silver hair is rarer but still a very typical Dayne feature due to the Rhoynar blood of house Martell married into the linage of the first men. Sadly she has to share the coloring with Allyria's 12 year old cousin Gerold. Anything good is wasted on the little shit. It's a blessing he is being squired far away in Yornwood since last year.

She is glad that at least her left eye doesn't compare to him. Where Obito's red sharingan used to be is now a soft grey pupil. It is supposedly a typical Stark look so she has her father to thank for that. Asta isn't sure how he would take it if she did though.

She is a bastard. It seems that Ned Stark and her mother Ashara promised to marry and made…hnnn…well...Asta. Before they could be wed however his sister was kidnapped by the crown prince and his father and older brother were killed by the king. They found each other on opposite sides of the ensuing civil war. He had to marry his brother's fiancé to ensure a win in the war and her mother died soon after giving birth weakened by the ordeal.

Apparently nobody saw fit to inform her old man about her birth, angry at the death and broken promise. Evidently she was Ashara Dayne's daughter and would be raised as such. Even though being born out of wedlock makes her technically a Sand rather than a Dayne here in the Kingdom of Dorne she is treated not really that different to a trueborn daughter.

The whole concept of bastards is a little dubious to her. As shinobi they were very liberal with their affections so it wasn't uncommon to have children outside of a relationship, not even talking about a marriage at all. The clans were all about the bloodlines, so it was either in or out depending on having it or not.

Asta knows her uncle and guardian Eiric Dayne Lord of Starfall the ancient castle of house Dayne wants to legitimize her. The problem is that the King needs to approve all such proceedings since some bastard price named Blackfyre drowned half the kingdoms in dragon fire for his rebellion some time ago."

Getting approval isn't really the problem though. If they did go to the King he would need information of her parents and would then contact her father. They are best buddies or something. She pictures her father with a bowl cut and a wide grin giving a thumps up to the king. No! Just no. She pictures the king doing the same to her father. That is even more terrifying. She doesn't want to live in a country were that reigns.

Lord Stark honorable as he is supposed to be would take his daughter north with him and not let her stay here. So it would seem there's no Dayne for her name yet. She doesn't really care. It's just a name and from what information the former shinobi found bastards have their own freedom. You can die but you can't get rid of politics.

Reasserting her aversion to politics she reaches the dining hall in tow of the older girl. Entering the open doors her young aunt spots the two people around the table quickly.

"Good morning brother. Good morning sister." Allyria gives a small nod in greeting to each of them and I follow her lead.

"Good morning uncle. Good morning aunt." Her manners are something rather new belonging to Asta and not Kakashi. He was incapable using those. Here in the world of Westeros they seem to be vastly more important, now that you can't just shove an electric hand through everything bothering you. She will really miss that. It even worked on wannabe Gods.

Anyway Asta's aunt Evelyn Dayne former Manwoody and younger sister of Lord Dagos of Kingsgrave, the guardian of the prince's path in the north and with it the entrance to Dorne taught her manners and so she will use them. Women don't have it easy in these lands and she is sure she will need them rather sooner than later.

It is a little like it was for kunoichi just a generation before Kakashi's. Woman are not expected to fight or be good at it, or be good at anything really except for marrying early and being good wives making tiny little hires for their husbands.

The former shinobi lucked out with being born to a dornish house there. Dorne is the most liberal of all the Kingdoms in Westeros with these matters. Maybe it's due to the heat and the harsh dessert but woman dress very reviling here. At least they do by westerosi standard. Essos is a completely different can of worms. The Woman here in Dorne love and fight freely and can even inherit land and title.

There is just no way the former shinobi would not be a fighter. It is part of her. Under other circumstances she would probably have jumped ship, quite literally and gone to Essos, the friendly, slaving neighboring continent and joined some mercenaries. She has experience.

As it is Evelyn is a very loving young woman and her and Allyria's surrogate mother. Asta never had a mother. Not even as Kakashi. It was all new and weird feelings for her. It made her a little uncomfortable with her combined life experience she was at least twice the age of her aunt, but she definitely didn't dislike it. She grew up in her arms and loving care after all.

She just knew she was going to get more issues from that. She mourns her long gone healthy psych. Wait. Did she ever have one? Ma. Probably not. Nobody bat an eye though when she declared herself to be the next best warrior in the Seven Kingdoms a year ago. That was nice.

Evelyn had blond long hair and soft features reflecting her inner nature. She sat decisively close to her husband Eiric at the dining table. It was a political marriage like most are for the noble houses. The Manwoodys were a good ally to have. They were important, not to far from them and share the ancient blood of the first man. Really just like the old shinobi clan politics.

Eiric was a rather stoic man with black hair and dark tanned skin. He doesn't show his emotions a lot but is quite a good guy. He just has problems expressing his emotions. Asta felt a kindred spirit. She knew all about being an emotional constipated. The reasons appear to be similar to her own as well.

He was more open in his youth but the loss of two siblings during the war and his parents lost at sea closely afterwards left him with a few issues of his own. There were no shinobi yet Westeros seems to have its own fair share of tragedy, grieve and loss. Asta felt right at home.

As heir to Starfall Eiric had to do his duties shortly after all his losses happened and married young Evelyn. Her sincerely kind and warm being helped him a lot to come through his grieve and they are very much in love now.

It was a good story Asta thought. Not as good as her Icha Icha. She missed the books. The former copy-nin looked for something similar in the vast library of Starfall she wasn't allowed inside yet but couldn't find any smut. It was scandalous and she swore to eventually correct this shortcoming even if she had to write some herself. Jiraiya would be so proud of her.

She also wasn't allowed to bring books out of the library to carry around or read. Paper and books especially seems to be very precious here. It seems all of them had to be handwritten as no printing was yet invented. A lot of obstacles but romance would find a way. It always did.

Being lost in her dreams of worldwide accessible smut she was only half listing to the conversation going on around the dining table and but catching her name brought her back to focus.

"I talked to Maester Morten about your lessons Asta. He said you could join Allyria in her lessons like you wished to."

That was good news from her uncle. She liked the old master of Starfall and she wanted to have more lessons and spent more time with Ally at the same time. He reminded her a little of Hiruzen, all wise with age, keeping his kind demeanor and treating the path of knowledge. He wasn't an S-ranked threat though. "Thank you, uncle. I'm sure it will be good."

"What? Really Asta? That's great. We will have so much fun." It seems like her young aunt liked the idea as well.

"Go easy on Maester Morten girls. He is not a young man anymore." Evelyn injects and she does have a point. Better to make sure he doesn't get a heart attack or something. She gets the feeling that he is to stubborn to die anytime soon but at his age you can't be too sure. "If he thinks you are ready for his you can attend my lessons too. I know they are less to your choosing but are important as well."

She is talking about the lady lessons she gives to Allyria. Asta really doesn't like them much but sees the necessity. She also never learnt such things in her past life. Doing embroidery and wearing dresses is completely new to her. The dances, the music, the manners and traditions here are also totally different from what she knows from her Daimyo court experiences. Huh? She really should learn that stuff. "Thank you, aunt. I'll be sure to learn what you have to teach."

Eiric's lips twitch a little upwards. "I believe you. Maester Morten can't stop lamenting that the Citadel in Oldtown doesn't allow woman in their midst." Ah yes. The citadel, Asta muses to herself, is not really her thing. Too many rules and stuck up old people. She wouldn't join for life in any case but would have liked to study a few things. She concludes that maybe she will sneak in at a later date before her uncle continues.

"He says he never saw anyone teaching themselves to read before and that you take in knowledge as fast as it is given to you." He chuckles softly. "Apparently you have the greatest mind of this age and the fools in the citadel are to narrow minded to see. He fears it going to waste. Your mother was smart too. That's why she was valued as friend by Princess Elia Martell and became her lady-in-waiting but even she was not this outrageous."

"Ma. I'm more of the warrior type anyway." Books are great Asta thinks, but not great enough to spend her entire life dedicated to them.

Her uncle snorts. "You haven't even held a weapon yet. But I suppose we will see in time if you are that determined." Seeing his wife's warning look he quickly adds, "When you're older of course."

Having finished her meal Allyria urges her to hurry "Come on Maester Morten is waiting. Lessons will be so much better with you" Losing her patience quickly she starts dragging Asta of by her hand again. "You are too slow."

Seeing the rest of her oil dibbed bread and fruit juice disappear in the distance she mournfully reaches out her other hand in its direction. Leaving through the door the last thing she perceives of her breakfast is the betrayal of her surrogate parents as they smile in weary amusement at her plight.

Kakashi died in defense of his village. Minato would be proud. He was a good teacher. He had found family with his students in Konoha and now Asta found family again. She is sure her former teacher would be even prouder. Kakashi had looked forward to seeing him again with Obito and Rin and all his other friends and family long since passed. Asta is sure they can wait a little longer. It's not like they have anywhere to go. They will laugh at him so hard. It can only be Naruto's fault.


	2. Chapter 2: The Line of Madness

Chapter 2: The Line of Madness

Asta was sulking while another of Allyria's arrows sailed under the target. Some weeks after her fifth nameday her young aunt became bored and upon hunting her unsuspecting prey, Ser Dag Waaler, Starfall's master-at-arms fell victim to her pestering.

Efficient hunter that she was she extorted a promise of training out of him. It is amusing how little chance the bear of a man, that intimidated all their guards and bannerman actually stood against the eight year old. All his muscles couldn't help him there and the usually scary scar on his face, running across his chin just tickles Ally's sense of curiosity and adventure even more.

The battle was lost before it began. Ser Waaler had no defenses at all against the little girls smile and so the matter came before Eiric, who agreed that Allyria may train with him. She is just old enough to start. Her aunt on her part deemed the bow most worthy to stem her boredom. That is what led up to this moment.

"Keep your back straight and eyes on the target my Lady." Ser Waaler correct the girls posture one arm on her back the other pushing her arm up. "Good. Arm up and try again. You are doing well."

"Yes!" The enthusiastic reply was nearly shouted by the overexcited girl making Asta sulk harder. She crouches on to the earth of the training yard several feet behind them. Starting to draw circles in the dirt she laments her own lost battle.

Having been witness to the dark haired knight's sorry defeat by her aunt's hand she had gotten excited to plead her own case for training but her Uncle proofed a relentless opponent to her. He was of the opinion Asta was too young yet. Even after going for the kill with her newly developed, deadliest attack for now, aptly named the puppy eye no jutsu she was brutally defeated.

"Don't be sad Asta. When you had your eighth nameday you can have training as well." Seeing her misery Evelyn who took the time to witness her goodsister's first attempts at handling a weapon tries to console her. "You are smart. You understand that your body is not yet ready for it"

The thing is she did understand. Having no chakra really puts a damper on things in a developmental way. She can't boost her muscle with it, not even passively so she is still disappointingly weak at this point. Her puppy eyes might really be her deadliest weapon for now.

The truth hurts. Unsurprisingly even her trusted friend denial abandoned her in this issue. More training than the dexterity and flexibility exercises she was still doing and the very slight stamina conditioning she started up by doing her old katas for taijutsu would be harmful to her. Bullshitting everything with chakra really was the way to go.

In consideration of all that, there is only one reasonable answer to her aunt. "But I want to train now." Asta misses her weapons and she can be as mature about is as she wants to be. Where is her power of youth? Is she doing something wrong? Ma. Probably. Maybe green spandex would help. Woa, she is reaching new lows with her thinking. She must be really desperate.

Her surrogate mother lets a soft smile bloom on her face in response to her whining. "Your childishness really doesn't help your case." Evelyn continues after reaching out a hand to stroke her hair in comfort. "It suits you though you should let it out more often. Most of the time you are so mature already."

It's good to see her up and about. She and uncle finally managed to bring fruit to their labor resulting in a very pregnant aunt. Of course she is beaming with happiness, even more so than her husband, but the final stages of her ordeal don't allow her to move about much.

Giving up her sulking for now Asta stands up. "I don't think I'll ever become more mature than I already am. I refuse to be." That earns her full blown chuckles from the woman. Before she can reply they are interrupted by a *twack* sound of an arrow hitting wood and her other aunt's cheer.

"YESSS! I hit it! I hit it!" Allyria makes a little victory dance on the spot. It was very cute. Ser Waaler thought so too and couldn't help his lips twitch up into something terrifying, but was probably the nicest smile he can make.

"It was done well for your first time holding a weapon my Lady. I do believe you have some talent for it."

Asta had to agree with him. She has seen children doing worse. Naruto, she is sure would have done worse. So she gave her own praise while Evelyn was clapping. "Ser Waaler is right. You did good Ally." She lifts a hand to her chin to ponder. "Do you want to try other weapons as well?"

"No. Brother promised to go hunting with me if I become good enough with the bow." Her young aunt lifted her bow drawing another arrow. "I'll show him and then he will have to keep his promise." An evil grin blooms on her face, or as evil as a plotting eight year old can make it, which is pretty damn evil going by the fact Asta used to murder for her village at only six.

The smile dropped of her face a little when the arrow she loosened shot past the target. "I see. The best of luck then." The former shinobi concludes, lifting a hand in farewell. "If you can make uncle Eiric cry in deference to your superiority I will be forever grateful. I'll go to the library for now though"

This brings the diabolic grin back on the girls face while her older aunt laments. "And you were both so cute a moment ago, all happy and pouty." Sighing in defeat at their antics she continues, "You are both terrors. I mourn for the seven Kingdoms the day you reach adulthood. Make sure to thank Maester Morten if you pester him with all kinds of questions until evening again. He does in fact have other duties than teaching you."

That is true enough. The old man is basically the only medical trained professional for leagues. He is also advisor to the Lord, historian and the caretaker and user of the messenger ravens being kept at Starfall. He is working too hard in his old age but he claims to enjoy it. "Ma. Will do."

She should really appreciate those things more. The Order of Maesters is no slouch. They wield a lot of influence. They are supposed to be the most learned men in all the Kingdoms. Their advice is taken for all matter of state from Lords around the whole realm.

Asta was off and enters the ancient castle while reflecting some more. The Knights of the Mind as they fancy themselves are supposed to lay down all personal loyalties and serve the realm, but even if you believe that most do that, which she definitely didn't the interpretation of serving the realm is so vague it would make shinobi proud.

You can make anyone believe what they are doing is for the realm. Bad memories of Danzo float to the back of her mind. Yes, she decides there will be no trusting in them on her side. There were so many ways they could compromise you it wasn't funny. False medical treatment, poisoning, false, altered or intercepted massages or simply bad advice with sensitive state matters. Asta finds there power a little scary. Even more though that nobody seems to notice.

She did trust Maester Morten though. She grew up around him and knew him to be a good man. She also snooped around a little so she is quite sure. Don't judge her she was young, well younger and bored and aching to do something shinobi worthy so she could at least make sure there are no spies about in the keep. She was positively surprised and a little disappointed not to find any. Apparently her uncle had things well in hand.

The former shinobi is sure though that the adjourning town to the castle is full of them. He never went there but his common sense is well enough developed to draw that conclusion. Asta stops at an arrow loop in the wall of the tower she is climbing to look over said town. It is a nice harbor town. Not too big but the trade they get from the sea and the settlements up the Torentine River sustains quite the population. Definitely the most people in one place in the western half of Dorne.

The beautiful castle built from white stone crowns over the town from the island it's built on. Its location is idle. That's why house Dayne is one of the most influential in Dorne for the last 10 000 years, dating back to the dawn of days and the First Men making it one of the oldest houses in all of Westeros. Asta still can't really comprehend the number, but she checked the ancestry and most of it is well documented. Her former shinobi village was only six or seven generations old and that felt like such an accomplishment at that time.

The young girl doesn't want to imagine the weight of leadership for the Lord of Starfall. Uncle Eiric is doing a really good job and she commits to be nicer to him sometimes. The castle itself was supposedly built by the first Dayne where the star fell house Dayne's ancestral sword "Dawn" is made from. To the former village leader that smells like propaganda. The whole thing is strategically just too well placed to be coincidence.

Starfall with its many towers guards the entrance to the very prosperous river valley from the summer sea. The whole thing is surrounded by the steep Red Mountains making it pretty much impossible to take with any large force if not through the ancient keep itself.

It is no wonder that the Dayne Kings of old could defend the lands from the Andal invasion the rest of the Kingdoms except the North succumbed to. Both the North and Dorne are very defensible by nature. If you are not experienced moving alone through the vast expenses of dessert and dry mountains in Dorne it can be just as murderess as the cold in the North, with an army along even more though.

Asta is more surprised that the Martells and Rhoynar managed to defeat them in their conquest of Dorne after forming house Nymeros Martell together. It must have been a great military accomplishment. Well they led in the defense of Dorne against the Targaryen conquest some 285 years ago. Fighting against three apparently very real dragons and an army vastly outnumbering them, they managed to kill a dragon and force a retreat of the enemy forces. A beautiful example of the efficiency of well executed guerrilla warfare. They can definitely life up to expectations.

Anyway Starfall is doing quite well. Trade from the rich Reach just past the mountains in the west, the prosperous Summer Islands in the south and of course everything up the Torentine River in the north pours in. More rarely a trade vessel from Sunspear or even further east from Essos can be spotted in the harbor as well

Her family's seat really makes a pictures landscape. The castle surrounded by the river looking over to the open sea with sailing boats coming and going surrounded by a green valley and mighty mountains. Asta is quite fond of it. It is peaceful she decides. Never had much of that before but she found it to be likeable.

Drawing away from her view she climbs the rest of the way up to the library. Since her fifth names day she is allowed into it as present from the ageing Maester. Not that it stopped her before, but now she can apparently be trusted to treat the old texts with the care they deserve.

She looks briefly through the shelves, but finding no one only confirms what her sense of hearing already suspected. Nobody was here. She is briefly tempted by the books, to just grab one and forget the time by gathering more knowledge, but she decided early to talk to her teacher.

Continuing her climb of the tower she reaches the rookery and upon entering finds her wayward teacher tending to his flock of ravens. It's something that he enjoys doing so Asta feels a little bad to intrude but not bad enough. "Good afternoon Maester Morten. How are you faring?"

The Maester turns around in surprise and smiles good naturedly. "I'm doing very well. This little beauty just brought a massage from Sunspear." He says while presenting her the utterly normal raven on his arm. How very much Uchiha of him. "It appears that a new royal Prince was born. Tommen Baratheon the first of his name. Lord Eiric is invited to the festivities in King's Landing."

The new Baratheon dynasty seems to like their festivities, there seems to always one invitation to a celebration or tourney for one reason or another. Well lavish Lords are nothing new to Asta. There were plenty in the Elemental Nations as well. "Ma. It is most unfortunate that uncle will be indisposed. It would be interesting to see the capital."

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Morten asks with the false ignorance only a teacher can find in themselves. He likes to teach practically, so when the opportunity arises he likes to use real events and happenings to test her knowledge. He would then show her what she forgot or got wrong in the first place. It happens. To guess reactions of different parties you need to have an understanding how they think and she had not left the castle yet to meet any Lords to get familiar with them. This case was quite obvious however.

"There hasn't really been any dornish Lord in King's Landing since the Lannisters raped our Princess while murdering her children and then killing her as well." That is probably as brutal as it gets and even she is quite disgusted, even with all the things she has seen and done while in ANBU. "And since our good King Robert Baratheon, long may he reign smiled at their mutilated bodies it is sure to stay that way for a while. I'm sure the Martells would eat any Lord alive who went to celebrate with him."

"Mhh" Maester Morten hummed in agreement. "That was well reasoned my Lady, but this was a rather simple matter. Having said that I feel you put off possible reasons for one Lord or another to go to the capital too easily. They could always fan the fires of disagreement or some conflict at court."

I give him a dubious look, but before I can say anything Morten interrupts. "You and me know there are better ways to do things. More efficient and more conspicuous, but not everyone is that gifted. There is always one young Lordling who is willing to do something absurdly stupid for honor and recognition in the folly of youth."

She thinks for a moment but has to concede it as an excellent point. Never underestimate the stupidity of people. Her shinobi standards for shadowy intrigues are probably a cut above most people here, not all of course it would not do to underestimate enemies. They make up for it with sheer army sizes. Dorne alone could muster about 50000 men at arms and compared to other Kingdoms like the Reach it is not really much. It is incomparable to the Ninja World Wars. Well maybe the fourth but on the other hand nothing compares to that.

"Should I take the massage to uncle?" Asta inquires. She is usually not that helpful but the aging man really should climb so many stairs. "He should still be in his solar."

"Thank you my dear. That would be lovely" The old Maester replies. "I do every so often find myself wishing the tower to be smaller. Young men strive for new heights but old men are quite more comfortable well grounded."

The former shinobi quirked a little smile at that. Her teachers mind really stayed as sharp as a blade even if his body became dull. She herself had felt the years of combat catching up with her before her death so she had sympathy. "It is no hindrance for me. The ground is the more reasonable location anyway."

This caused the Maester to reflect her smirk before it grows as she carries on. "I was wondering if you would be willing to show me the basics of taking care of the ravens. Of medicine too. If one wants to be independent those are things one really ought to know. I could assist you with your duties."

Morten holds the following silence a little before he lets out a big sigh. "I really despair at the future of my Order if they have to compete with you young one. Such an inquisitive mind." He pauses a little to look his young pupil in the eyes and grow stern. "Don't think I don't recognize your attempt to swindle lessons out of me again, but alas it is the duty of the old to teach the young so I have no choice but to agree."

He pokes a finger in the direction of her face. "You will however be held to your word and assist in my duties."

"But of course," Asta says dripping with false innocence, "I would never do anything else, Thus I swear upon my power of youth"

"The Gods must be punishing me." The Maester folds into himself in despair, dropping the arm. "They showed me what an incredible mind a human can possess and then let it fall into madness."

Hearing those words she puts one hand behind her head and laughs awkwardly. "Ma, ma. I'm not that bad. My mind is more mildly disturbed than fully mad"

Her teacher sighs again in exasperated fondness. "It is a lie and you know it my Lady. Though the line between madness and greatness is said to be very small. Maybe you have spread yourself firmly across that line one foot in each."

Asta is really impressed. The description fits so many people she knew before. It is a little worrying though to be put in any category including Guy. In the end she decides to take it as a compliment. "Thank you. It is kind of you to say that. I'll bring uncle the news then. Shall l return right after?"

Morten's despair reaches new heights as he strokes his fingers over the bridge of his nose "That was definitely not a compliment." Gathering new strength he concludes, "Don't bother today I'm quite busy you can join me tomorrow after breaking your fast."

Seeing her mission successfully completed Asta begins to leave through the door. She really wished she could do it through the window. It was kind of customary after such an exchange. Too bad the circumstances didn't allow it.

"I thank you then for the lessons to come Maester Morten. I'll see you on the morrow then" She really likes the old man, Asta ponders to herself while leaving, or is it that she likes annoying people, or is it the same thing anyways. She is never sure.


	3. Chapter 3: Carried with Love

Chapter 3: Carried with Love

Asta stared. She stared some more. Nope it's still there. She finally concedes. "Allyria, what is that supposed to be?"

The older girl standing next to her in the training yard just laughs at her confusion. "Don't be silly Asta you know what it is."

She stares again. The thing stares back. Nothing has changed. She is force to concede again. "No, really Ally. What is that supposed to be?" She asks pointing one hand in its direction. "I'm pretty sure you said something like, Asta I'll show you how to ride. Horses are great. You will love them." Now she waves her hand at it to emphasize the thing. "So what is that?"

Her young aunt crosses her arms over her chest to look at her sternly. Definitely a move copied with mixed results from Evelyn. "Don't be mean. Sunbeam is lovely." She reaches out with one hand to pet the think on the head. "I got him from brother when I was a little younger than you. I have told you about him"

That was certainly not true. Asta is sure of that. "You told me you had a horse named Sunbeam you learnt riding on. That is not a horse." At her accusation Allyria become a little red around her cheeks. She was certainly told about a horse and she had been in the stables before, just never with anyone else there. She was apparently too young to enter the stables and seeing the mighty hoofs and sheer size of some of the war horses she understood why. They are dangerous. They almost seem like completely different animals than the merchant and farmers wagon pulling horses she was used to.

How does she know? She had snuck in of course. She just never bothered to figure out who each horse belongs to. This leads to her current argument where her aunt insists, "It is a horse." And shortly looks away from her. "Just not a very big one."

Asta arches an eyebrow at that. The one over her violet eye for better impact and they hold each other gazes for a while before finally Allyria concedes for the first time. "Fine. It is a pony." She says weakly and adding a little annoyed, "Are you happy now?"

"That remains to be seen." She still hasn't let her questioning eyebrow down. "What are we going to do with a pony?"

Now it is her aunt's turn to lift a challenging eyebrow "For someone so smart you sure act stupid sometimes." That comment surprisingly hurts so it must be true. Sometimes she wonder about her reasoning, but then remembers a green streak running by her inner eye screaming about youth and she is sure she acts perfectly reasonable. "You can have him to practice riding. Brother told me I'll get a real horse for my tenth nameday in a couple of days"

"Ah." Asta doesn't know how to feel about that, but her unclear sound of agreement can't hurt for the moment. She stares at the thing. Doing so had helped previously. It's barely taller than her and she is a little girl. She also never rode a horse before. Horse drawn wagon during escorts sure but never a horse, not even talking about a pony. Shinobi had no need for them. They were faster and had more stamina than any equine creature. She stares at the girl beside her and meets eyes so full of excitement and expectations it hurts. "Thank you, Ally."

Her aunt beams a wide smile as response. "You are welcome." Her excitement visibly increases. "Come! I saddled him today so you can try right away."

"Ma. Sure," is the former shinobi`s response. She isn't certain how to proceed though. Sunbeam looks at her, pauses a moment then lowers his head to nibble on some grasses growing there. It was definitely mocking her. Stepping forward she pulls herself up the saddle like she has seen others do many times.

The breeches she is wearing give now resistance and she safely lands on the beast. Asta normally wears them. It's not that she has anything against wearing dresses for formal occasions but the mobility in them is just too hindered for general purpose wear. She is positive that is her reason and if questioned she will not falter. Allyria disagrees with her, as does Evelyn, but they don't mind it either.

Seeing her goal accomplished she grabs the reins with her hands and holds them. She continues to sit there, Sunbeam still grazing. Asta gets a little annoyed with waiting and waves the reins about. Nothing happens. She pulls the reins and the pony shakes its head a little and carries on grazing.

That was all Allyria could take. "Hahahaahaha." She falls to the ground shaking with tears in her eyes as she laughs and doesn't stop.

Sitting there upon Sunbeam, still grazing, with her feet not more than a foot above ground Asta realizes something profound. Ponies are tiny creatures and have no dignity and because they don't have any they steal it from others. Therefore it is impossible to keep any dignity while riding a pony.

Asta is asleep in her chambers when the noise of the door handle being used instantly turns her awake. Instinctively she reaches unnoticed to the knife hidden under her pillow. She finally nicked one no one would miss for her training. She would have done so sooner if not for the simple fact that if a knife disappears someone will be accused of having stolen it.

She is sure she would never be found out, but someone else probably would be at least suspected to have done it and so she held back. Then some time ago Eiric rode out with part of his guards to apprehend a group of bandits in the eastern mountains. They brought two back to Starfall with their equipment to question them and find clues to their origin. With that she had her prize now resting under her hand.

A moment later she recognizes the soft steps and relaxes, but doesn't move till after Allyria finished climbing into her bed. She sighs a little and turns to her aunt. "Aren't you a little old for this?"

It's hard to see in the dark but the former shinobi is sure she can make out a faint blush on the embarrassed girl. "I am, but you are not," she deflects with an astute amount of determination.

At least it is well reasoned Asta has to agree. Ally used to come and sneak into her bed to sleep quite often when they were younger. Sometimes her young aunt was just lonely and Asta would be reminded that with all her cheerfulness she was a child that lost her parents and older sibling's way to early.

It's not really all that great to bother her newlywed brother and his wife in the night and that left Asta. Allyria took well to her surrogate little sister and found comfort in taking care of her as well as her presence.

Asta doesn't mind she loves her aunt and her antics remind her of her pack. When they were needy for affection or wanted to lift his mood they snuck into her bed as well. She suspected a deeper reason for the visit today nonetheless. "Ally? Is this about Edric?"

"Of course not!" Allyria whispers back in sharp tone that wasn't a whisper at all. "Why would you say that?" She seems really affronted.

Since the young hire of Starfall was born Evelyn had a lot less time for them outside their lessons. Newborns are fuzzy and she is the Lady of Starfall on top of that. It comes with its own responsibility in the household. Even Eiric seems to be busier now.

"It's not what I want to say." Turning to her aunt she places a hand on top of her head to pet her. It worked for her pack. "It's not bad to feel lonely because you want to spend more time with the people important to you." She gives Allyria a soft smile and continues, "Babes are just icky and useless and as soon as Edric grows out of it you'll have one more person important to you."

Her aunt's eyes have grown a little misty, but she returns her smile. A few moments moment's pass by with both of them just enjoying the peaceful silence of the night before her and gives her a smirk instead. "You are just still bitter that Maester Morten had you help deliver him. It's your own fault. You gave him your word to help with his duties"

"That never happened and you can't force me to remember," Asta quickly answers. It is not true though. Sadly she does remember it, very vividly at that. With her shinobi record she thought her promise to help non consequential. Injuries, blood gore, death, and all the other familiar things, but she had not thought about assisting the birth of her cousin. To be truthful it would normally not faze her, but somewhere in the middle of the whole ordeal she realized that it could happen to her in the future. It hammered some things home she didn't want to think about and so she didn't.

Her softly giggling aunt doesn't seem to believe her. "But of course. It must be as you say." The tone of her voice lets you conclude the opposite of what she just said was true. She takes her hand with her own and snuggles into her side. "Thank you, Asta. Sleep well"

"Ma. No problem Ally. Sleep well," She responds and soon the chamber is filled with the noise of soft breaths as the two girls drift off to sleep.

The next morning Asta wakes early like always. The morning is not yet dawned when she carefully frees herself from her still sleeping aunt. She takes a moment to strap her knife to her calve were her boots would hide it later and puts on her simple breeches and brown tunic from the day before.

She sneaks to her area of the gardens secluded by woods and begins her daily training. Her body is still young but fit enough for slight exercise. She does flexibility stretches and her daily run. Then she goes through her katas, training hand to hand combat. As Asta will most definitely go after her mother and become tall and slender, speed and flexibility will be the center of her fighting style.

Kakashi was a speed fighter more than a power one so many off the things he learned are still viable for her now. She needs to adjust the katas to her new body nevertheless. A woman's hips are wider compared to a man and their center of gravity is different as well. It's not an issue just yet, but will be soon enough. For optimal efficiency and power of her movements she would have to make use of her increased flexibility.

It would be easier if Guy was here. He was many things but doubtlessly he was a genius in training hand to hand combat. She lets out a barely audible sigh and her thoughts wander to her old friend as they often do while training her body. She refuses to honor him with anything but memories however. Neither the color green nor the power of youth suit her overly much.

Finishing her daily routine she focuses on her knife. She likes to train her handling and dexterity in her room. When she is alone she trains her fingers and twirls the knife between them. It was quite dull so perfect for that kind of training.

Here in the yard she trains her throwing skills with it. It's very different from the Kunai or Shuriken Asta is used to. She has seen other throw daggers though and what the former copy ninja has seen she will be able to replicate in time. There is no need for a sharingan for something this simple. It's not a throwing knife and therefore not balanced to be thrown, making the training as difficult as it gets.

Maybe she could get some of the tools and weapons she is used to when she is older and finds a competent smith. Be that as it may they would be really recognizable and potentially raise questions, so she would prefer to manage with knifes. They fill the same role as weapons as Kunai did. They are in essence midrange thrown, hidden, offhand support and very close combat weapons.

Seeing the sun begin to peak over the horizon in the east she finishes up her training to swipe her body clean and throws on some fresh clothes with a sleeping Allyria still in her bed. The castle begins to wake up and it wouldn't be long until her family broke their fast, but she still had some time. She had to be careful not be found training as she wasn't quite old enough for it yet in her uncles opinion so she went to the library.

Climbing the stairs she found it filled with Starfall's aging Maester scribing on some parchment. "Good morning Maester Morten." Taking a fleeting look at the page being filled she adds, "I see you are still working on our massaging cypher."

Upon spending time with her teacher in the rookery sending and receiving massages she proposed the idea of using a simple code to preserve massage security. Ravens could be shot down and massages intercepted and read, maybe even as simple as by Maester of other keeps reading them before sending them of. There were methods of tampering with a wax seal on a massage to open it without breaking the seal in the process.

In the end they decided on the Morse code, adopted of course for the alphabet of the common tongue. Needless to say is that the old scholar didn't know that. It is a simple code that translates letters in a short series of dots and lines, which is exactly what the scholar was doing now. It has the added benefit of being able to communicate the code through short and long sounds.

"Good morning, my lady. I am indeed." Maester Morten says putting his quill down. "I fear that

I haven't contributed to new academic ideas in a long while and got excited. I couldn't keep to my bad."

Asta smiles at the old man before responding, "Ma. It's good that you found passion. Do be careful not to let it burn you out."

Her teacher huffs at that. He looks out the window to measure the time and grumbles. "I survived this long I think I know how to manage a little longer. I want to complete transcribing the alphabet today. It is not as easy as it sounds to find the optimal combinations for the letters."

She hums in agreement looking over his work sheet. He is presenting different options so the Lord could pick a preferred one. "We should consider adding set letter combinations for different situations. For example if something is urgent or there is an emergency."

The Maester ponders over her suggestion for a moment. "I feel we should wait until it is implemented. I would do no good to make it overly convoluted when it is still in testing, but it's definitely something to have in mind." He looks over his work sheet again and adds, "If I manage to complete the transcription today I will bring the cypher before the Lord. Without his approval we shouldn't plan to far ahead."

That was true enough. Asta didn't doubt her uncle's wisdom to see the benefits of this undertaking, but doing too much without his notice could seem like they went behind his back. "Very well. I wish you good fortune and begin my journey to the dining hall. It would not do us any favor if I anger my aunt again getting lost on the road of life."

Evelyn really was not happy with her missing meals. Maester Morten however just laughed. "Aye my lady. You do well in fearing the mothers of this world. They hold a special kind of power." With that last bit of advice from her mentor she made her way to break her fast with the family.

It was that evening, she had just brushed down Sunbeam after riding practice when she was stopped by a voice "Ah! M'lady a moment please."

Upon hearing the familiar voice Asta turns around to see her former and Edric's current wet nurse slowly catching up to her. "Good evening Wylla. Is something wrong?"

The brown haired woman finally reaching her responds immediately, "Good evening m'lady. Nothing of that sort. The young Lord is doing well."

She is relieved by the answer. It's not that something was wrong with Edric to have her worried. It's just that babes are fragile and the medical treatment here is far off from Konoha standard. Tsunade would be on a warpath. If she were here in Westeros in her stead she would have probably already taken over the Citadel in Oldtown and reformed all they knew about medicine. Alas they have her and she is throwing knifes around were nobody can see. She feels really underachieving right now and can't wait to be allowed to train and do something useful.

"What brings you here then Wylla? I don't suppose you left him without reason." As far as she knew for the next few years being with her new cousin is the servant's only task.

"No m'lady of course not," was the wet nurse's expected reply. "Lady Evelyn wished to be with him this evening. She bid me to find you. Lord Eiric expressed his will for you to present yourself."

That is not really unexpected to her. Maester Morten seems to have finished his work and brought in before my uncle. "I thank you for informing me. Can I find my uncle in his solar?"

"Yes m'lady. I would think so."

That was really all she needed to know. Mostly Eiric was a patient man and would just wait for whenever he and Asta would cross paths to inform her of things so it must be somewhat urgent. "I thank you again Wylla and bid you a pleasant evening. I should be on my way."

The servant smiled and gave a little bow. "A pleasant evening to you as well m'lady."

Not waiting for any more interruptions The Dayne bastard made her way to the lord's sola. She strolled through the hallways of the ancient castle thinking about how to sell her coding idea. Intel security was important. Reaching the door she knocked and waited for permission to enter.

It took a moment before she heard her desired response. "You may enter!" Asta enter the room and immediately takes in all the details like she was trained to do. Her uncle was sitting behind his large desk surrounded by books. The dry air smelled like ink and parchment. The former village leader felt a little sorry for the lord. It's seems the bane of any competent leader existed here as well. Paperwork was a vile enemy. The absence of her favorite Maester struck her as odd however.

Upon her arrival Eiric's lips twitched a little into what people who know him recognize as a smile. "Good evening Asta. It is good you are not lost again."

Taking the comment in the spirit it was given she replied, "Good evening uncle. The path of life is treacherous. All must take heed who wish to tread upon it."

Her uncle looked no less amused as he stood up. "Aye, indeed" He strolls past her and holds the door open before he speaks again. "Walk with me, will you?"

It is a command rather than a question. Asta understands it and has no reason to protest. "Of course." She leaves the room again and her uncle follows and closes the door. After locking it he turns in the hallway starts on his way. She has no problems matching his stride with her small body. Her uncle is a very deliberate person

They walk through their ancestral home for a few moments in comfortable silence. Eiric gathers himself and picks up the conversation again. "You are kind Asta."

She was not really expecting that. She has a feeling this is not about her cypher project. It feels more profound than that. "I somehow feel like I should protest. What baseless accusation."

He halts a moment to glance down at her with an unreadable look before bringing his focus back upfront and picking up his pace anew. "You are. You like to hide your emotions behind a mask of indifference. Your kindness as well."

For some reason it occurs to her in this moment that her family does know her quite well and maybe this is what family feels like. She doesn't show any of it as her uncle carries on. "I don't know why you do it. Perhaps I was a bad example for you or perhaps it is your nature. You were always brighter than others. Bright enough to not let others know your insides."

They walk up a flight of stairs in silence neither knowing how to continue or feeling it needed not to. After several more moments Eiric is the one to break the silence again. "My lady wife informed me she found Allyria in your chambers again this morning."

"Ma. Is that so?" Asta didn't know where he was going with this but he is an intelligent man and the implication will not be lost on him nor Evelyn. They will probably take some time for her tomorrow if at all possible.

Her uncle seems to have found what he wanted to tell her. "People tell me you resemble your father in nature. I think you carry your father on the outside and your mother on the inside."

He comes to a stop in front of the door Asta knew was her late mother's but never went inside. Not because she couldn't of course but simply because she wouldn't. It was important to her uncle in a way she hadn't wanted to intrude upon. There are other rooms she hasn't entered out of respect, like the treasury and some ceremonial rooms but this was probably the most relevant for her family.

"You look like her too. Your colors are different but your soft features are all her" Eiric turns to her and puts a hand on her shoulder looking deep into her mismatched eyes. "I can see her willfulness and stubbornness inside you. The drive to do good. But most of all I can see her kindness in you."

Asta is not sure she agrees, but it is not her place to make that judgment. Eiric holds her gaze a little longer and then pulls out the key to open the door. They both step inside. Everything is in order but very dusty. Apparently not many people come here.

"These were your mother's chambers. I know you never knew her but she carried you with love"

He fiddles with the key between his fingers idly, his eyes on things she couldn't see. The former shinobi knows what it's like to mourn and so she only gives him her silent company in support. Time flies by but neither cares. When Eiric finally turns to her the light coming in from the window changed to a dark orange-red with the sun disappearing behind the Red Mountains. He holds out the key and presses it into her palm.

"Your Mother would be proud of you. I like to think about how much she would enjoy seeing you annoy lords and ladies wherever you find them." He makes to leave the room but stops inside the door. "This is yours now. Do with whatever you find as you desire" He gives her one last meaningful look adding, "I got everything I'll ever need of her already."

With that Asta is left in silence and it is her turn to fiddle with the key and stare at nothing. She never knew a mother. From what she could tell Ashara would have been a good one. The silence doesn't change until she finally decides it's stupid for a grown man inside a not so grown girl to mourn things that never were and never will be.

She inspects the room to see what she can find but there is not much here. There are a few useful trinkets she decides to keep like a finely crafted comb and hairpin doubling as a dagger.

She finds quite a bit of clothes she is too young to wear and bit of jewelry. She puts both of those back where she got them with a mental note that she had them if she needed them in the future.

With the accessories however she discovers quite the collection of scarfs. Riders in Dorne use them to not breathe in the dust of the dessert the harsh winds or the horse blow up. It protects the lungs from drying out.

Carefully Asta picks up a black one and binds it around her neck. She pulls it over her nose and breathes out a breath she hadn't known she was keeping. The scarfs she brings along to her chambers.

Eiric doesn't comment when she shows up in the morning with a scarf hiding half her face. Nor does he the next day, or the day after. It felt like home.

**A/N: I just want to say a quick thank you for the reviews. I'm new at writing so I appreciate any comments and constructive criticism. **


	4. Chapter 4: A Youthful Flower

Chapter 4: A Youthful Flower

This is happiness. Asta sits on the ground with crossed legs tightening her hug. She has waited so long for this and will not let go. She takes a deep breath enjoying the smell of steel and oil only a well-cared for weapon gives off. One of her hands moved with its own will caressing softly over the hilt. She had missed this.

She, Asta Sand finally archived her lifelong goal. She has a sword. It's dull and only for training purposes but it doesn't matter. She has a sword. Her eyes moisten a little as the reality of it hits her again. She has an actual weapon.

She loosens her hug a little to look it over. This is her sword. There are many like it, but this one is hers. Her old Captain was right. ANBU indoctrination really does fallow you into death. Giving it in approving nod she takes it into her arms again.

"Does this happen often?" Allyria asks the group of people standing around the sword hugging girl.

Nobody is sure how to answer still stunned by the sight of the girl being handed her first weapon promptly caressing it like a newborn. Ser Waaler is the one who finally ends the moment. "No, my lady. I have trained hundreds of men to wield arms and I never witnessed someone take to their weapon quite like this."

Asta thinks they are overreacting. She is not that strange. Only to be proven wrong by the genuine concern in Evelyn's voice. "It doesn't seem healthy. Perhaps we should not have waited this long to allow her training?"

Eiric doesn't share the opinion. "All is well. She enjoys being overly dramatic"

The silver haired girl gasps in affront and is thrown out of her joyful musings. With a look of horror she throws a finger up at her uncle. "That… take that back." She will not be accused of something so Uchiha.

The Lord of Starfall ignores her terror and rolls his eyes. "If the truth causes you such discomfort my niece, it may not be too late to change your demeanor."

She wants to answer but is interrupted by Allyria. "No brother. It's most definitely too late for her."

As she stands up Asta pouts behind her scarf at the betrayal of her friends and turns to her only ally. "It seems my family has forsaken me, but you will never leave me. I know that I can place my trust in you."

Seeing the heartwarming moment between girl and sword Ser Waaler injects, "Now that I have seen before." The huge man gestures with his own training sword in hand in her direction. "Some men tend to talk to their weapons. Most commonly after being out too long in the dunes."

The young girl gives a sigh to that. It seems everyone is her enemy today. She shakes a little stiffness out of her shoulder and gives the weapon a few trial swings "Ma. They do make good company." The blade was really nothing special. The balance was a little off and it was too heavy for her still tiny body.

Seeing her trying out the weapon the master-at-arms becomes more serious and inspects her attempts with expert eye. "Your grip is fine my lady and your posture is admirable. You seem to possess some natural affinity towards the blade."

Asta did. She did so as Kakashi as well. He was quite good in his youth wielding his father's sabre. He wanted to surpass him and show the village that he was better than the failure that gave up the mission to save his team. Then came that fateful mission where he gained the sharingan but lost his friend and everything changed.

His father's blade shattered in that mission. He did too. Asta thinks it's a little symbolic while eyeing the weapon in her hands. Kakashi had tried to get the blade reforged, but it was never as good again as it once was. That, the girl muses is the difference between swords and people. Kakashi too was reforged and he too was not as he was before, but he became stronger. Maybe that is why he left the blade behind and became a ninjusu specialist.

Now Kakashi broke again, in body if not in spirit. It seems to be the natural order of things. He will break and grow stronger again. No. SHE will grow stronger again, because people grow and change. This time she leaves ninjutsu behind and picks the sword up.

The young Dayne tightens her grip around the handle a little in determination and gives her weapon another experimental swing. She grimaces as the weight strains her weak arms. Growing, Asta concedes takes a while.

Seeing her struggle the muscular giant of a man grins at her. "You have a good look about you my lady." He lifts his sword challenging in her direction "The time has come to test your mettle."

She lets out a breath and her eyes get focused. She hasn't fought in years. Her instincts might be dull but they could never leave. "Aye, Ser Waaler. Be on your guard than." She flexes her fingers one last time, steps in front of the instructor and sharpens her concentration to its limits.

Nothing happens for a few seconds, both combatants sizing each other up. Ser Waaler's grin shows Asta that she takes it more serious than him, but that is fine. She has the obvious disadvantage here. With an unseen signal she pushes the ground with all her might sprinting forward.

Her sword is low as she enters her opponents range and he swings at her with his own weapon. Seeing the apparent difference in strength she doesn't even try to block and uses one of her weaknesses in her favor, her height. In the right moment she leans forward as close to the ground as possible while remaining upright. That is what her flexibility is for. As she feels Ser Waaler's blade pass above her, she redoubles her efforts to close the distance again.

A slight widening of the experienced knights eyes is the only indication that her doge surprised him. Asta sees him shift his weight and knows the kick is coming before his foot left the ground. She rolls to the side and avoids it barely. The big man is faster than she gave him credit for. Coming out of the doge she tries to swing her sword at the leg in the same motion but she isn't fast enough and has to avoid another sweep from his sword to the side.

Seeing her chance she attacks with her own blade but is blocked effortlessly. She doesn't contest the strength of his guard and tries to take a shot at her opponent's feet. She aborts her plan fast to block the weapon coming at her.

The impact throws her back and she rolls across the ground. She jumped back a little at the moment of impact to take force of the blow but felt it through her entire body anyway. She misses chakra. With the last of the momentum and a little groan Asta rolls back on her feet sword still in hand and readies herself to make another dash, but is interrupted by her opponents deep, full bellied laughter.

"Hahahahaha." The mountain of muscle in front of her shakes and she isn't sure if she should be offended. Ser Waaler beats with one hand on his trembling belly and she decides that she lacks speed. When she has corrected the issue she will introduce her combat teacher to her most secret technique. Effective against Tailed Beasts and future Kage alike, "One Thousand Years Of Death" will strike fear into all her enemies hearts once again.

Her musings of showing a knife up her opponents arse are rudely brought to an end by him. "Forgive me, may lady. I have seen grown men take up arms, but none were this ferocious." He mustered her with a more serious look. "Yet you can barely swing that thing. I see great talent in you, but not yet the strength to wield it?"

How nice of him to point that out. It was true though. The exchange earlier lasted only a few seconds, but she was already slightly out of breath and her arms were shaking. Still, she had the burning ache to continue. "That is what training is for, is it not Ser Waaler?"

The knight grinned down at her and said, "Aye, my lady. I recommend for you to take up something lighter anyway, just for now." He lifts his sword free hand to his chin and ponders a bit. Lastly he decides, "You may find daggers or the bow suit you just as fine."

This is the moment Asta has been waiting for. She gives her very best eye smile behind her scarf and responds cheerfully. "Why, thank you for offering your service in teaching me, my kind knight. Let's do those as well then."

As the implication of her words hit him his grin falls of his face, replaced by a scandalized look. "My lady, tha…that is.." She intensifies her gaze looking up at him with wide eyes full of expectations, waiting to be thought. The experienced veteran only lasts a second before he folds with a big sigh "Just as well my lady. We will have you try them out later."

The former shinobi feels no shame. It is a proud victory. She was trained to take any advantage she can get and if the grizzled looking man is way too nice and weak to cute things on the inside it is entirely his own fault. Their spectators seem to agree with her, as their cheering was replaced by laughter. Even her uncle's reserved chuckles could be heard in the yard.

"It appears you won a battle and lost the war, Ser Waaler" Eiric says and directs his next words at her. "You did very well Asta. I'm sure you will be a fearsome warrior in time."

She guessed he was referring to her sword training and not her attempt at roping his master-at-arms into more training. Maybe both, the Lord of Starfall is a pragmatic fellow after all.

"Ma, thank you. I think I like the sword quite well."

This causes Allyria to giggle again. "We could see that as soon as you touched it. There was no need for the bout."

Eiric nods in approval and agrees, "Aye, indeed. I wonder if she will hug the bow as well."

It was rare to see her uncle in such an openly good mood. He must really enjoy the family outing. Or maybe he enjoys picking on her. Asta can understand that. Her main source of amusement is after all annoying people. She gets this slight feeling that this is revenge. Well, time to go back to the basics. Engage default defense response.

She picks her ear with one hand and gives Eiric a look that the word bored can't even begin to describe. "Hn? Did you say something?"

Evelyn sighs exasperated, shakes her head a little and gives her a genuine smile. "I'm glad you are enjoying your eighth nameday Asta."

Said girl answers, "Thank you, aunt." somehow managing to pack a lot of emotions in those short words. She then turns her attention back to the experienced knight in front of her. "Are you ready for another bout Ser Waaler? You have not bested me yet."

Her instructor quirks an eyebrow and agrees. "Aye, my lady." Following that he lifts his sword in her direction and shows teeth with his grin. "I should change that." And change it he did.

Hours later Asta was laying in the training yard, having collected a notable assemble of bruises. Her body is heavy but her mind feels light. Training was comforting. It was familiar feelings of exhaustion and content circling through her that brought about her good mood. She closed her eyes to rest and enjoy the feeling of the sunlight warming her skin.

In the end she had tried the other weapons as well. The former shinobi did best while dual wielding knifes. Her current body and experience with kunai made them optimal for now. She would continue to train with the sword of course, but before her strength and height caught up a little, efficiency with it falls behind the lighter and faster weapons.

That is why she had two simple daggers laying in the grass beside her. They are from the inventory of guard equipment. She had managed to land an attack with the dull training blades on Ser Waaler. Nothing great, just what would have been a shallow cut on the man's arm but he was sufficiently impressed.

After training he left only to reappear with the weapons now at her side in his hands. She was apparently good and mature enough to have them. He had pressed the sheathed blades into her hand and only said, "If you can cut me with them, my lady you can gut others."

It was good to have real weapons again. Asta would keep the dull knife hidden under her right boot though. You can never know. Her try with the bow was not as successful. She was never much of a long distance fighter and preferred mid to close range combat.

Allyria told her she was good for a beginner as she hit the targets, but after her show with the sword and knifes everyone, herself included was a little let down by her performance. The young Dayne had never used a bow before and so she was not sure how her attempts would fair. She lacked the strength to pull the string of the training bow and efficiently keep it steady at the same time. Her trainer hadn't expected otherwise, but she managed to hit the targets with quite some surety. If somebody asks she will just not mention how close to center those hits were.

Going by Ser Waaler's words she did have natural talent for the bow but it pales in comparison to her close combat skills. Asta was still determined to get at least moderately sufficient at using the bow. Moderately sufficient by ABNU standard of course. It would never be her main weapon, but the usefulness for hunting alone made it an essential skill.

She opens her eyes and watches the clouds go by. There's a bunny… a bunny… another bunny… and something that looks suspiciously like Madara's hair. She sighs a little in defeat. She makes a bad Nara. The weather was too nice not to try. The Citadel had send notice just the other day that summer officially began and Asta became aware again how very little sense the seasons in Westeros make.

She had asked Maester Morten, but he lacked the brass link on his chain for deeper knowledge into the weather and seasons. He knew it to be a very complicated subject though. The former shinobi can't fault the man. If she were to study she would definitely not pick meteorologie as focus either. To someone who grew up and lived their whole life with the seasons the way they are they would appear perfectly normal. She didn't question all the bullshit chakra could do either before she landed here.

The truth is she thought Morten quite reasonable with his links of black iron, copper, gold, iron and silver. They stand for ravenry, history, money, warfare and healing and would probably have been her choices as well. Maybe lead instead of gold. It's always good to be informed about poison. If not to use it on others than to stop others from using it on you. From what she could gather poison use is just as common here as it was in her past life.

Her musings are interrupted by the sound of determined steps leading up to her. Eiric stops beside her head, blocking the afternoon sun from blinding her as she looks into his eyes with unspoken question of what he is doing. He reciprocates her look and they just stare at each other for a while before Asta relents and lays bare her innermost feeling.. "The seasons don't make any sense."

Her uncle blinks. It appears the response was not as expected, but used to her as he is by now gives no other indication of surprise. "I'm sure some Maesters would disagree with you Asta. You are entitled to your own opinion however." He looks her over once more and adds, "Ser Waaler assures me that your skill with a blade is as sharp as your mind and you will do great things for House Dayne in the future. I do not doubt it. Hearing your talk though, I fear what those things might be."

Asta is a little affronted at that. It's not like she's Naruto. She always acts with caution and reason…and sometimes a healthy dose of disregard. "You can just pick all the things you like uncle the rest will be for the ever glorious and honorable House of Sand."

Sarcasms is dripping from her voice causing Eiric to huff a little in amusement. "You can change what you call yourself but not what you are, daughter of House Dayne." He pokes her a little with his foot like you would and animal to see if it was dead. "Do you require rest or will you accompany me to the crypts?"

That surprised Asta. It is not something her uncle would usually seek her out for. She has been there of course. Her family honors the dead every year on the day they died. She goes there with everyone at least four times a year, for her mother Ashara, her uncle Arthur and her grandparents. It just isn't somewhere you go casually.

Eiric must have good reason if he wants to go there and she sees no one to decline. "Rest is for the old and wary." Saying so, Asta stands up with some effort. She really is tired.

"Mhh" The Lord of Starfall hums in agreement and the corner of his mouth lifts a little smug. "Nothing for a youthful flower like yourself."

She cringes at that. It was Evelyn who noticed her aversion to being compared with flowers in her lady lessons and it was Allyria who discovered her instinctive fear of anything youthful. Only a truly evil mind like that of her uncle would conspire with both of them to bring her nightmare back to life again. He enjoys her suffering. "That is cruel and you know it."

Eiric sighs a little at her response. He does that often, she wonders why. "You fight a man three times your height for hours without complain, but are defeated by simple flattery. Maybe the future is less great, but bleaker instead."

"Ma. The future is fine how it is as long as it's not youthful." At her convincing answer and his baffled look they start their short walk to the small stone building in the corner of the yard. It has thick and heavy doors that guard the entrance to the tunnels under the island the castle is built on. She found a hidden entrance inside the main keep that is pretty useful as these doors are usually barred.

Now however the doors were wide open and a burning torch was waiting for them at the entrance. Her uncle must have prepared the trip in advance, proving her assumptions of his reasons. He takes the torch and leads her inside.

Because of the danger of the surrounding water the Starfall crypts were not very vast. They didn't need to be. The Daynes have a long and for the former shinobi very familiar tradition of burning their dead. Urns with the ashes would be placed in a special recess in the wall and a name inscribed above. It is along with other things very space saving.

They're unusual burial rites for Westeros but her family was here longer than others so in her subjective opinion they are right and the rest is doing it wrong. It has nothing to do with the familiarity and with it comfort the tradition brought. Asta doubted though that they do it here to destroy evidence and secrets.

Eiric leads her past the Daynes of old to the oldest and deepest part of the crypt where many inscriptions were no longer readable. They walked there in silence surrounded by cold stone and their ancestors' remains. As they reached the end of the tunnel a simple door to their right is reviled in the sparse light.

It looks very old, but still just as sturdy and she absentmindedly wonders what type of wood was used for it to hold up so well. Something important must be behind it if something this extraordinary is used as a door that hidden this deep in the heart of Starfall. She had thought about entering it before but didn't want to intrude where the dead rest. She figured it may be the tomb of the first Dayne. His name is lost to history like many other from the Age of Heroes. Written records only go back about 6000 years. Nobody is sure what happened before that time.

Her musings come to an end as her uncle procures the key and unlocks the door. The door opens without noise and they step inside the hidden room while her uncle comments. "Only the Lord of Starfall may open this door. It is a great honor to enter this room."

The chamber they enter is circular and bigger than she would have thought. The walls are hung with tapestry with detailed embroidery. The depictions seem to come alive in the flickering light of the torch and Asta immediately recognizes a few of them from elsewhere around the ancient castle. They show the deeds of Daynes long past.

She identifies Davos Dayne marrying Nymeria, the Rhoynar Queen that unified Dorne on one. Another shows the attack on Oldtown by Joffrey Dayne who resisted the rule of Aegon I Targaryen. Starfall was later burned for it by Visenya Targaryen and her dragon Vhagar and even later her sister Rhaenys and her dragon, Meraxes died for that. Such is the cycle of war. It's a pity, worlds may change but war stays the same.

Her fascination with the wall decoration ends abruptly as she sees the enormous banner of House Dayne at the far end of the room. It proudly displays a white sword and a curved, white shooting star crossed on royal purple background.

Eiric steps closer to it and she follows him. In front of the banner rests an ancient plate armor that is long since unusable. They come to a halt in front of it and he slowly begins to speak. "This is said to be the armor of the first Dayne. Even now protecting what its master can no longer."

He gives her a long look, deep with meaning that escapes her and takes a breath to carry on his explanation. "Every Dayne that learns the sword is brought here since ages past." He presses the torch into her hand to hold and goes past the armor to the right end of the banner. The lord fumbles a little in the dark room before he finds the rope he was looking for and pulls on it.

The banner splits down the middle and drifts apart like a curtain. Hanging on the wall behind it a beautiful sword is reviled. "They are brought here not to see his armor but his sword. Even now fighting what its creator no longer can." Eiric indicates the weapon with one hand while Asta steps closer to admire it. "This is Dawn, the ancestral blade of the House of Dayne."

And what a blade it is. Its fine craftsmanship is stunning. The elegant curve of the blade ends in an intricate star that adorns the guard. A sleek handle and a pommel inlayed with gold as an artistic representation of a sun at dawn complete the sword. The unnatural pale, milk-white color of the blade reflects the light in such a way that it almost seems like it gives of a soft glimmer of light on its own.

Asta is again reminded of the white chakra sabre she once wielded and unfortunately broke. It had almost the same luster. "Dawn, the light that fights the night." She reads aloud the inscription carved into stone above the blade. "I heard only a knight who is worthy may wield it."

Her uncle huffs a little half in affront half in amusement. "Knights would say that."

The wording catches her interest. "Is it not true then?"

Eiric steps beside her right in front of the blade to look at it. It takes a moment for him to answer and when he finally does his voice sounds far off in thought. "Asta, I think you don't understand quite yet. We are House Dayne. We have been here since the Dawn of days." His voice gains strength as he turns his gaze to her.

"We have fought the children of the forest and ruled these lands while wielding dawn for thousands of years before the first Andals came and brought with them their knights. Then we fought them too. The Rhoynar came and we fought them just like we did the Targaryen after them. For over 10000 years the House of Dayne fought. Many wanted us gone and yet here we remain."

The Lord of Starfall lays a hand on her shoulder and concludes with conviction in his eyes, "Any Dayne deemed worthy may wield Dawn. None has right nor might to tell us otherwise."

The young girl is oddly touched by his lecture. Not by the history nor by the sword, but by how much she is considered part of this family. She is still trying to get used to being part of something more. She doesn't do feelings well and yet hearing her uncle talk wakes her long dead wish that her former father had survived longer. That he had showed her more what family was like, been there more for her more, maybe even loved her more.

Asta is determined to treasure what feelings she managed to scrap out of her broken heart, to not have any regrets again. She is a Dayne now so there is really only one conclusion to answer the sentiment and with the way her life tends to go she will probably end up with it anyway.

She returns her uncle's gaze with her mismatched eyes. "It's a good sword." Her tone is soft, but with a surety that doesn't leave any room for doubt that she means the words dearly. She just hopes she doesn't end up breaking this one too.

Eiric shows that he understood more than the simple words spoken and laughs one of his rare true laughs. "Hahaha. I believe every man that walked the Seven Kingdoms knows this, as well as many more." He lifts his arm from her shoulder and takes a step back "I will tell you like my father told me before." He takes up a different rope and pulls it closing the banner in front of her. "If you want to wield it, become worthy and a new Sword of the Morning may rise"

Asta is not sure what to think about that. She never felt worthy of much of anything with all her failures in her life. Thank you survivor's guilt, poor grieve management and daddy issues. She will just dump all those trouble on the future Asta as usual. The former shinobi is not sure if her future self will be better equipped to deal with it. Her sizable amount of experience tells her she will not, but it's not her present self and that is all that matters.

The fact that 'Dawn' literally translates to her all-time favorite 'Akatsuki', as well as any implications that could mean give her the creeps down to her very soul and is promptly ignored.

Her Uncle carefully takes the torch back from her hands and starts to lead her towards the exit of the hidden chamber, but pauses a few steps to the left of the door. "These are the deeds of those who wielded Dawn and bore the title Sword of the Morning." He explains what she already guessed and points to a tapestry yet unmolested by age.

"This was my brother, your uncle, Ser Arthur Dayne. The best knight I have ever known."

She could see a man depicted with gold armor and silver cloak killing a knight that had an unnatural wide smirk on his face. She knows this story. "It's the defeat of the smiling knight and the Kingswood Brotherhood."

"Aye," Eiric responds. "It was his proudest moment. Arthur described him as a madman with cruelty and chivalry all jumbled up together that did not know the meaning of fear. By defeating him he ended a lot of suffering."

He seems a little lost in memories at the end of his retelling. Knowing the feeling Asta tries to cheer him up. "Don't worry. The space beside him will not be empty for long." Guy was always better at these kinds of things.

Her uncle shakes his head a little as if to get rid of a stuper and speaks while leaving the room. "I'm sure he would enjoy your company."

"Ma. Everybody does." With the familiar banter returned they make their way out of the crypts.

It is when they are just entering the main keep again that Maester Morten runs up to them as fast as his age allows. "My Lord, It is good I found you, a raven came from Sunspear. It appears to be urgent."

His breath is heavy from exhaustion as he holds out letter to her uncle sealed by a familiar sigil of a spear piercing a sun. Asta, having experience with matters of state she knows urgent news usually equals bad news is curious of what could have happened.

Eiric rips open the seal and reads it carefully, his face giving nothing away. He looks back up at Maester Morten and says with a serious tone, "It appears that the realm is at war again."


	5. Chapter 5: Forward unto Dawn

**A/N: I'm sorry for my longer absence. I work in the medical field and due to the current circumstances I suddenly was and still am very busy. I took the liberty to edit the prior chapter a little. Nothing major in the storyline has changed. I just felt the need for some improvements in dialog and thought's, so feel free to ignore it. **

Chapter 5: Forward unto dawn

**289AC Summer Sea:**

The ship rocks gently to the beat of the waves as it sails into the rising sun just barely peaking over the horizon. The world is brushed in soft orange, bathed in the first lights of the day giving it a measure of peace that only the nurturing beauty of nature can bring. The purple sails graced with the sword and shooting star of the House of Dayne are full mast as the night had been clear, awash with the light of celestial bodies and the winds had turned favorable again.

"Blurrghgh." Asta sighs a little at the young girl that had appeared beside her at the rail only to bath her morning not just in the first light of the day but also in last night's dinner.

"Ma. Still not feeling better Ally?" The question is presented with her usual bored tone of voice and no hint of concern in sight, earning him a dark glower from her aunt filled with all the malice she can muster in her weakened state.

"I hate you almost as much as I hate the sea." Allyria is too weak to bring any real intent behind her words, hanging with one arm over the Summer Sea her head resting on her shoulder.

She had been suffering sea sickness for the last few days. In favorable conditions, with good wind and calm sea as well as experienced sailors sailing day and night you could make it from Starfall to Sunspear in 4 days.

Alas life had not been kind to Allyria and they had rough seas and winds from the second day on. The weather only cleared up during the night so that she can now enjoy her 8th day of sea sickness.

The Martells will not be happy about their delay. The missive they got from them over 2 months ago informed them of an Ironborn attack on Lannisport and the burning of the Lannister fleet anchored there. An act of open rebellion against the Seven Kingdoms, that much to Asta's chagrin can only mean war.

On the positive side she is already 8 years old. 2 years older than her first war in the Elemental Nations and nobody really expected her to fight on the frontlines yet. Obvious improvement of cultural norms right there.

Everyone calls it 'war' but in reality it is still a minor one and nobody is sure if Dorne will be involved in any fighting. Asta knows however how fast a minor conflict can escalate into something more sinister. The beast of war always starts small, but grows quickly the more you feed it.

For now the letter from the Martells ordered House Dayne and the other Houses of the southern coast like House Dalt and House Gargalen to increase guard, mobilize the bannerman and ready the levy to secure the southern cost from attack until the royal fleet sailed past on their way to engage the Ironborn. Afterwards they were to gather at Sunspear to discuss the issue of further coast security because of the possible attacks.

What was left unwritten in the missive is that Dorne itself is more or less still in an unspoken rebellion against the iron throne and that they should secure the coast as much from the Ironborn as from the royal fleet that could take a given opportunity if the army was already there. It is clear that the gathering of Lords translates more into a discussion about whether to join the war effort or not and if so on which side.

Of course the spies of the Iron throne and other houses will know this as well but openly admitting to treason and rebellion is different than just the possibility of it. It appears that plausible deniability is a wonderful thing no matter the world.

As Starfall is in the westernmost part of Dorne the Royal fleet past them last so they left later than other houses and have a longer journey. Speed, more so than most other things is essential in war. The few days delay they had on their travel could decide on win or loss of the whole campaign.

As there is nothing anybody could have done against the weather Asta decides to overlook the issue for now in favor of kicking the dying puppy. Not that she would ever kick a real puppy, Pakkun would haunt him, but sick little girls are a totally different matter.

"You are so mean to me Ally." The fake hurt is barely overwhelming the bore apathy in her voice as she speaks. "And here I was only worried for you."

"Nhhrg" It is only a groan that answers her but the emotional pain felt from it fills her with the familiar joy that accompanies having other people suffer her bullshit. She would deny all accusations of feeling such way of course. Four generation of Hokage from Sarutobi all the way to Uzumaki couldn't bring her to admit it. Nobody ever will.

"Mah. Cheer up Ally. Look." Asta says with monotone voice while gesturing one hand listlessly in the direction of the daybreak their ship is sailing into. "Forward unto dawn."

"Nhhhhrg" To her ever secret delight an even more painful groan leaves the older girl in response. "Tormenting me with house words, really? My brother is bad enough already."

She shrugs her shoulders with her answer. "For a lady you are really ungrateful. I only tried to cheer you up with the beautiful view."

Allyria glowers at her with shining violet eyes. "I don't believe you." She turns her gaze from Asta to the shimmering ocean. "I changed my mind. I definitely hate you more than the sea."

And one more wrong in the world is righted. The sea has nothing on her. Asta rewards the girl with a heartfelt eye-smile for her wisdom. "And I was just about to tell you if we arrive today or tomorrow. Surely my dearest aunt that hates me so much would not want to know anything from me."

The young Daynes eyes snap back to her mismatched ones with new light in them. "No I misspoke dear niece. There is no way I could ever hate you. In fact I love you more than anyone"

She only answers the desperation with her signature eye-smile quickly prompting Allyria to carry on. "That's what you wanted, right? Now tell me! I need to know when my suffering ends."

Asta gives an exaggerated sigh. "The young are always in such a hurry." She skillfully ignores the outraged comment from the delusional girl about how she was older than her and carries on. "The helmsman is sure that the weather will hold and we will arrive somewhere between afternoon and evening."

Relieve flashes across Allyria's features and she sacks a little as tension leaves her muscles. "Finally. I could not last another day." She removes herself reluctantly from the rail and shuffles back to the door leading below deck. "I'll try to rest a little more. I can not be as pale as death when we meet the Martells in the evening."

Asta watches the older girl make her way back to her hammock that relieves the symptoms of her missing sea legs until she is out of sight. With nothing else to do she returns her gaze to the rising sun that lost a lot of the red tint on her way higher on the horizon.

Her Sensei and her student had dreamed of peace, a world without war. It is a nice dream and she admires the hope they carried to believe in it but Asta herself is too pragmatic and had seen too much darkness to commit to it. Sure achieving peace however unlikely is possible. Naruto and the elemental nation had proven that, but to have it last forever is impossible.

Humans have the capacity for great goodness as well as for great evil. In the end both will always shine through them. Peace comes and then war follows. At some point peace will come again one way or another. Nobody can fight forever.

She has long since decided that it doesn't matter. She likes peace and she likes Sensei's dream of it, even if it's an impossible one. It doesn't have to be possible to strive for it. Or maybe it's exactly because it's impossible that those people who chase their dreams full of hope and determination inspire others to follow and believe in them.

Jiraiya, Minato, Naruto. They were all those kinds of people. Dreamers, idealists that wanted to achieve something and inspired others by making the impossible seem possible. Kakashi was not one of them. Neither is Asta for obvious reasons.

Ever since Obito first sacrificed himself she fought for one reason only: For her comrades, to protect her precious people. She doesn't need dreams nor ideals.

Why make things more complicated than they have to be? If war has to come again she would prefer it not to be in her generation or the one after. She would do her best to avoid to the best of her abilities. People important to her have this nasty habit of dying in war after all. Experience has thought her though that every generation has their challenges and conflicts. Not all of them are avoidable and equally not all of them have to end in war, some however are probably not avoidable. If she has to fight to protect her people she will not hesitate.

Asta doubts though that Dorne will get more involved in this conflict, at least for now. The Iron Islands are a bunch of economically insignificant rocks in the sunset sea with little population. They have minimal potential to win a war against the combined might of the rest of Westeros.

Even if Dorne supported them they would be overwhelmed without other allies. From what she heard Doran Martell is a competent and careful ruler so he will most likely wait and see if the Ironborn have any sort of plan to win and only commit if he sees a possibility of it happening.

The first step for the Ironborns would be to dominate the coming engagement against the Royal fleet and Redwyne fleet sailing against them to ensure their ongoing naval supremacy. The former Hokage is fairly curtain that Dorne will not react in any way before the first real battle is fought and the tide of war apparent.

The deck has gotten livelier during her musings and her observing gaze didn't miss the entrance of a certain dark skinned man. With a goal in mind she leaves the rail behind to join him near the mast.

The distance is not big as for the sake of greater speed they travel on the "Windsprite", one of House Dayne's merchant vessels rather than one of the few war galleys in their possession. It is not a big ship, but what it lacks in size it compensates in speed or so the sailors swear.

As she comes to a halt in front of the tall man she lifts a hand in greeting. "Yo."

Like the rest of Starfall he has long since gotten used to her apparent weirdness, but had he not his answer would have been most likely the same. He simply turns his face in her direction and gives a tiny nod in acknowledgment.

His name is Baoapesa. With his stony expressions and equal demeanor he makes a good impression of a statue. Asta likes to call him Bao. He despises it.

Bao is a man of few words and even fewer facial movements but what is more relevant at the moment is that he is also Summer Islander and with a combination of a well-placed bet and her dagger throwing skills she conned him into teaching him the language.

If you want to operate around Starfall successfully you need 3 languages. Westerosi for obvious reasons and Valyrian, or at least one of the many dialects for the merchants from across the Narrow Sea are the most important, but if you want to be prepared for anything like a good little shinobi you need a little summer-tongue as well for the merchants and sailors from across the Summer Sea.

Maester Morton was happy enough to teach her to be passable in Valyrian but as he didn't know much of the more elusive languages she had to get creative and so she robed Boa into teaching her.

They were on rather good terms anyways as she spars quite often with the household guard in question. Bao is proficient in armed and unarmed combat alike. The Summer Islander practice a weird form of dueling mixed with ritual dancing that is the closest thing to proper taijutsu with katas and everything that Asta has come across yet.

After a moment of contemplation the young man having guessed her reason for approaching him simply points at the first object in his proximity they hadn't discussed yet and says "Xíbogi". Apparently it means 'sword'. It is an inefficient method of learning but she will have to make do with what she gets. She is no Nara, but a certified child genius is just as well. As the Prodigy she is she simply answers with an affirmative "Xibogi."

Their lesson continued for some time as other passengers and sailors kept their distance from them. For people in the commonly excepted boundaries of healthy sanity the conversation of the two social stunted individuals must be something like a red flag. Asta wonders absentmindedly if what they are doing is really that weird or if the problem lies with the inability of the common men to comprehend their intentions or follow the learning curve.

She tries to picture someone else interested in learning joining their conversation. Itachi comes to mind. In ANBU he was eager to learn anything he could get his pyromanic hands on. She can clearly picture him joining the tutoring. Bao would point at a bird and say 'Piibigi'. Asta would confirm that he understood the word correctly and answer with 'Piibigi'. To confirm that he pronounces the word correctly Itachi would add 'Piibigi' and they would continue with another word. Everything is perfectly normal. She is quite sure nothing is wrong with them. It has to be the other people… It's always them.

As the day goes on and Starfall, having long since appeared on the horizon draws closer Asta withdraws below deck to get a fresh change of clothes. As a bastard she is not really expected to be dressed to impress foreign dignitaries, but even as she shinobi you were expected to have a clean uniform if at all possible when meeting important clients or nobility.

Reaching her cabin she discards her sweaty and salt sprayed clothes and puts on a fresh pair of trousers and a tunic with a discreet tone of purple that represents her allegiance to House Dayne instead of a forehead protector. It's also an acceptable color for stealth even if it wouldn't hurt to be a little darker like the dark greens and blues for optimal stealth properties in the dark but the sun and heat of Dorne during the day made darker clothes impractical. They absorb too much heat.

Asta picks one of her usual scarfs in the same violet as the house banner to replace her old one and ties it tightly over the bridge of her nose. She is used to having her face covered again, was probably never really unused to it. The scarf is a little looser then her old mask but as she recently found out it is source of a new type of entertainment.

She was commented on it while training with the guards. She was asked by one of them why she had her face covered and she informed him plainly that the scarf was her friend. His outrage was delicious as he shouted in affront about how that is not a scarf but a shemagh. Another of the training men heard it and told her not to listen to the idiot as it is clearly a ghutrah. A third man was kind enough to inform them that they were both cunts as it is clearly a hattah.

As there was only really one spoken language in the elemental nations it is interesting to get an example of how a language can represent the society it belongs to. It is even more interesting to see grown men from all across Dorne come to blows over the best way to call a scarf. Men raised around Starfall called it one way and men from the herders in the Red Mountains called it another. Nomads from the dunes in the east had a completely different name for it.

In Konoha they had 'Komorebi'. It is a word specific for the light that filters through the tree leaves. In Dorne they have over a dozen words that describe a scarf worn in the dessert. She makes sure to call it a scarf as often as opportunity allows in hopes to witness more of the physical linguistic debates.

As she leaves the chamber, now more or less presentable she absentmindedly wonders how many words for snow the North has. There is fresh powdery snow, compacted old snow, mushy half towed snow, iced over hard snow and of course her personal favorite the suspicious yellow snow.

She reaches the deck way before the Windsprite reaches the docks of the harbor but Allyria and Eiric are already present. Ally's complexion is a lot better as her excitement seems to throw all lingering effects of seasickness off of her.

She grabs Asta's arm and pulls her to her side pointing out unfamiliar buildings, people and anything else that catches her notice in the approaching city. The young girl babbles unhindered by the other people gathering on deck to witness their arrival in port.

"Whoa. There are so many ships here. I have never seen that banner." Her attention is however quickly caught by something else and she continues her gesturing. "The buildings are so different and what is that? Is that the Sunship? It's huge."

The former shinobi makes her own assessments of Sunspear, even if she is slightly suspicious that her reasons differ from her aunt's. The city is of different design than Starfall and seems to have not much in common. Buildings are built from the light brown sandstone with round shapes that remind her of Wind country and Sunagakure.

The Sandship Allyria pointed out towers over the harbor. Giant walls that look very defensible reach into the sky from the highest point of the city. It is an incredible structure and Asta had no doubt it could break waves up on waves of attackers. If she squints and channels a little creativity the shape vaguely reminds her of the hull of a ship. That would explain the name given to the ancient fortress of house Nymeros Martell.

Asta was just about done mentally mapping the parts of the city she could see from her position as well as assessing them for strengths, weaknesses, defensible locations as well as the best places to hide if necessary, when the pull on her arm increased and she looked into the accusing eyes of her aunt. The look on her face approached dangerous levels of poutiness.

"You are ignoring me." She accused matter of factly.

Seeing the danger for what it is Asta gives her eye-smile. "Mah, I had important thoughts to thing." Her S-rank skill in dodging responsibility's and problems shines through as she neither confirms nor denies her aunt's very accurate observation.

Sadly Allyria used to them as she is, is not fooled by Asta's superior abilities. "There is no way you can be thinking about anything important right now. You are just ignoring me."

As her first strategy failed miserably Asta has no choice but to fall back on her failsafe plan. "I was just debating what to do if I find out suspiciously yellow snow is not named in the North and I am free to name it. Should I call it 'snew' or snellow'?" Bullshitting her way out of any social situation is her only original skill left in this world as her chidori is sadly inaccessible.

Allyria just stares at her for a moment in which Asta can see another little peace of her aunt's soul dying through her disbelieving eyes. Finally Ally sighs, freeing the dead piece of soul from her lungs and talks "You are so weird. Aren't you at least a little excited about the trip? And why would you care about yellow snow? Neither you nor I have seen snow but I'm sure it is white. Why would it be yellow?"

Asta nods in agreement and gives another smile. "That is one of the big mysteries of life."

"Ahhrgh! You are impossible." With this last compliment her aunt turns her attention to the approaching pier.

Sailors run around hauling in the sail and readying the robes. Before long the ship is moored and a plank is set to disengage. Eiric who was busy overseeing the men winks the two girls over with one hand. "You will cross one at a time and I will help you. Just like the bording. " He gives a stern look of warning to each of the young girls before he continues. "Be mindful of your balance and don't fall in the water."

Her uncle holds on to them securely while passing the deadly space between the ship and the pier. Asta feels a little patronized with her uncles hand on her arm but seeing Allyria sway from left to right as she has solid ground under her feed for the first time in over a week make his concerns for their safety more than apparent.

A group of men draped in the yellow regalia of the Sunspear guards greets them. The stern man in the lead steps forward and gives a little bow to Eiric before speaking with a slight norvosy accent. "Greetings, Lord Dayne. I am Areo Hotah, head of the guard. I welcome you to Sunspear." He gives the two girls a polite look before asking. "Am I right to assume you brought your lady sister and lady niece as well?"

Eiric nods in confirmation. "Greetings. Indeed, you are. My sister, lady Allyria Dayne and my niece, Lady Asta Sand." With their names spoken he gestures to each of the girls in turn.

"Then I welcome them as well" With his words Areo gives another polite bow, this time to the girls. "Prince Doran conveys his regrets of not greeting you in person but matters kept him at the palace but your arrival has been awaited most eagerly."

Eiric as well as Asta know of the princes failing health. Gout seems to trouble him more and more so neither expected a personal welcome. As such her uncle simply nods his acceptance and Areo steps aside with an inviting arm gesture. "Then, if you are ready, may I escort you to the water gardens."


End file.
